Amman, August 9 (Petra) - Jordan ranked third among Arab countries on the 2024 Logistics Performance Index (LPI), marking its strategic importance in regional transport and reinforcing national efforts to establish the Kingdom as a major logistics hub.
Port operational efficiency serves as the backbone of the country's logistical advantage, according to a policy paper by the Jordan Strategy Forum (JSF). Vessel turnaround time at ports averaged just 0.6 days, ranking Jordan 21st globally and 3rd regionally. While export container dwell time stood at 4.7 days, outperforming the global median.
Amid ongoing regional instability, Jordan is positioned as a "safe logistics corridor" for transit trade and cargo transport, offering a reliable path around supply chain disruptions. The JSF said that modern economic corridors extend beyond roads and railways to integrate maritime transport, energy grids, digital infrastructure, logistics, and cross-border industrial cooperation.
The forum added that these developments have prompted countries to diversify transportation routes and reduce dependence on a limited number of maritime corridors and strategic chokepoints.
Local experts point to the Port of Aqaba as the anchor of this strategy. Nabil Khatib, First Vice Chairman of Amman Chamber of Commerce and President of the Logistics Sector Skills Council, noted that Aqaba's fast handling speeds lower shipping costs and increase the port's attractiveness to shipping lines.
Speaking to the Jordan News Agency (Petra), Khatib stated that capitalizing on this strength will support the Kingdom's ambitions to become a regional logistics hub. He stressed, however, that realizing this potential requires improving the efficiency of the interconnected supply chains that extend beyond port operations to ensure seamless logistics at all stages.
Economic expert Muneer Deyah stated that despite geopolitical headwinds, the Port of Aqaba achieved "record-breaking operational metrics." He said the port has accelerated loading, unloading and transshipment operations, handling 101,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in July. This brought the total number of TEUs handled since the beginning of the year to nearly 560,000, representing a record level for the port.
Deyah attributed the port's performance to efficient logistics management, noting that its 0.6-day vessel turnaround time ranks Jordan 21st globally and third in the Arab world.
He said the figure demonstrates the port's ability to adapt to disruptions in global maritime shipping and compete with major regional and international ports in terms of operational speed.
Deyah also noted that the average dwell time for export containers stands at 4.7 days, below the global average.
He said the Port of Aqaba has become an important regional gateway and a strategic alternative for countries relying on it for imports and exports, strengthening its role as a regional logistics hub.
In July alone, the Aqaba Container Terminal handled 101,900 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), up from 88,781 TEUs in July of the previous year, bringing the year-to-date total through July to roughly 560,000 TEUs.
While neighboring ports faced severe congestion and shipping delays due to regional turmoil, Aqaba maintained high operational productivity to absorb increased cargo and truck volumes.
//Petra// HA
